Magnetic gearing



H. M. STOLLER.

MAGNETIC GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1916. I

1,337,732.- Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

QIL IQ Q \II H. M. STOLLER.

MAGNETIC GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 191a.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920@ 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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m m LE H. M. STOLLER.

MAGNETIC GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7. 19m.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

/n van-for: Hugh M .S/ofler UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH M;- sroLLER, or NEW YORK,

N. Y.; ASSIGNOR T0 WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY,

,rnvconronnrnn, or NEW YORK, N. Y.,-Acon1 onA'.r1oN OE'NEW YORK.

To all @7107); it ma y concern Be it known that I, HUGH a citizen of the United States, residing at New .York, in thecounty of. New Yorkand State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful lmprovements in, Magnetic Gearing, of which the. following is, a full, 7

clear, concise,.gand exact description.

This invention relates to gearing and more particularly to gear ng wherein magnetic force issubstituted for the usual mechanicah-engagement between the parts.

Theprincipal object of this invention is to eliminate mechanical contact and fric-' tion between transmission members and to. produce a gearing which 1s more noiseless,

efiicient and durable than the types at pres-.v ent in-use.

This invention therefore provides a gear wheel having radial extensions in the form of electromagnetic poles, and a controlling armaturein the form of a worm gear, whose magneticthread, passing between or close to the magnetic poles on the gear wheel,

drives or isv driven by the gear wheelthrough the agency of the magnetic poles.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanyingfdrawings in which Figure 1 is a side view of a worm gear-cooperating with a gear wheel,p-whose' teeth are formed of permanent magnets. Fig. 2 is an end eleva tion of} the assembly. illustrated in Fig. l

with portions thereof shown in perspective and other portions in section. Fig. 3 is a side view illustratingthe pitch or permanent-twist given to the magnetic teeth in order that they may conform to-the pitch. of the spiral worm. Figs. 4: and 5, respec-., tively, are. the same as Figs. 1. and 2 except.

that alternative arrangement of the electromagnetic teeth is substituted for the permanently magnetized teeth of the gear wheel. Figs. 6-and7 are, respectively-,side and end views of an alternative arrangement comprising a worm gear curved to Conform to the contour of the gear wheel. In'these figures some portions are shown in perspective, while other portions are shown in section. Fig. 8- is. a cross section illustrating an alternative arrangement of facing the thread of-a worm gear, and the teeth of a gear-wheel.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, a shaft 5, provided with suitable bearings (not shown) permitting rotatable permanent magnets.

/ approaching teeth 7 MAGNETIC GEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pat ted A 20 1920.

I App l icatio fil d iiovember 7, 1916. Serial 1:... 129,985. v

i i I I movement thereof, carries a gear wheel 6 the teeth 7 of Which are formed of U-shaped Each of the teeth 7 has a north pole 8 anda southgpole9. A

worm gear of magnetic material and com-.

prising a shaft 11 and a spiral worm 12 is mounted to rotate between the poles 8 and 9, v and serves to complete the magnetic path between them, being separated therefrom,

however, by an air gap so that no lnechanical contact takes place.

In describing theoperation of thismaga netic gear, let it be assumedthat the shaft 11 is being rotated in a clockwise direction by any suitable means. Accordingly, the spiral worm 12 is revolved to set up a socalled endless screw action, andthrough the agency of thev magneticfiux between the poles 8 and 9 of the teeth 7, this spiral operates as a tractor infcarrying successively travel, thereby imparting a clockwise rotating movementto the gear wheel 6.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the poles '8 and 9 are given the required polarity by means of themagnetizing coil 20, common to all the teeth 7. The coil 20 does not rotate with the gear wheel 10, but is held in a fixed position byineansv of clamping bands 23, which, in turn, are.mounted on supporting columns 24. The operation of this arrangement isidentical to that de: scribed in connection with the form shown in Figs. .1, 2 and 3.

Referring now to Figs. Gand 7, the alternative structure therein shown is of such form that a relatively large. area of the spiral worms is under the magnetic influence of a corresponding area of the gear wheelythereby securing more steady operation and also permitting the efiicient transmission of greater power; This arrangement has the further advantage of compactness. In this case each tooth 7 forms a single magnetic pole, the winding 20 being applied in such a way as to give adjacent teeth 7 opposite polarities. For the sake of clearness, the winding 20 is shown in the drawing as being looped back and .forth around the teeth 7. It is, however, to be understood that any of the winding arrangements commonly used in the constructhroughthe zone of its tion ofdynamo-electric machinery to proj which at any tion of the circumferential pitch of the winding 20 is here carried by the gear wheel, it, of course, follows that some arrangement, such as brushes 16 and 17 and slip rings 14 and 15, will be required to lead current to and from the the energizing 20. t willbe noted that the teeth winding 7 are formed with a s iral itch which cortively increasing the tractor action. While the teeth 7 have a uniform circumferential pitch, the thread of the spiral worm 12 is preferably designed to accurately register with the teeth 7. In this case the threads of the worm 12 have a non-uniform pitch point is equal to the projecteeth 7 on the axial line of the shaft 11. The operation of this embodiment of the invention will be apparent from the description previously given.

It ma in some cases be desirable to round 0 the pole faces of the teeth 7 and the thread 12, as shown in Fi 8, in order to resist more effectively 't emagnetic shearin stress between the worm and the gear w eel, thereby securing more steady and eflicient operation of the gearin the velocity ratio between a spiral worm and a gear wheel operated thereby will be the same in the present invention as the existing rules for velocity ratio covering the usual meshed or mechanically engaging gearings.

In view of the fact that no physical contact is present between the moving members of this magnetic speed reducing gear, it will be obvious that relatively high speeds may be employed with the driving spiral 12 without entailing the mechanical wear or friction between this member and its associated gear wheel. Although the direc tion of the transmitted motion has for con-' v'enience been considered as from the spiral worm 12 to the gear wheel 6, it will be understood that motion may also be transmitted in the opposite direction; that is, eel 6 to the worm gear or screw 12.

What is claimed is :v 4 1. A gearin mechanism comprising a. rotatable gearliaving a plurality of radial magnetic extensions, adjacent extensions being of unlike magnetic polarit and a spiral armature out of mechanica engage ment with said gear at all times mounted to rotate adjacent topsome of said magnetic extensions.

2. A gearing mechanismcomprisin a rotatable gear having a'plurality of. ra ial magnetic extensions, means for magnetizing {acent teet said extensions whereby adj acent extensions I are given opposite magnetic polarities, and a spiral armature out of "mechanical enga ement with said gear at all times rotata 10 adjacent said extensions for completing the magnetic circuit between adj acent exten- S10 3. A gearing mechanism comprising a movable magnetizable threaded worm, and a rotatable ar wheel out of mechanical engagement w th said worm at all times hav-' mg a plurality of magnetic teeth arranged to provide a series of sets of adjacent poles of unlike magnetic polarity; the thread of said worm being mountedadjacent to said teeth and serving to bridge the gap between pgles of unlike polarit to transmit motion tween said worm an wheel upon relative movement therebetween.

4. A gearing mechanism comprising amovable magnetizable threaded worm, and a rotatable gear wheel out of mechanicalengagement with said worm at all times and aving a lurality of magnetic teeth, adbeing of unli e magnetic poarity;. the thread of said worm being mounted adjacent to said teeth to bridge the gap between adjacent teeth and said teeth serving to attract said worm to transmit motion between said worm and wheel upon It will be understood that the ru e as to relative movement therebetween.

5. A magnetic gearmechanism comprising a rotatable shaft, a magnetizable spiral wormthread carried thereby, a rotatable gear wheel mounted on an axis substantiall at right angles to said shaft, and a plura it of magnetic extensions carried by said w eel spaced to correspond to the pitch of the worm thread-and partially inclosing but out of contact with said thread at all times; said thread serving to bridge the gap between adjacent'extensions to transmit motion between said shaft and wheel upon relative rotation therebetween. 4

6. A magnetic gear mechanism comprising a rotatable shaft, a magnetizable spiral worm thread carried thereby, a rotatable gear wheel mounted on an axisl'substantially at right an les to said shaft, and a plurality of su stantially U-shaped magnetic teeth carried by said wheel spaced to corres nd to the pitch of said worm thread an partially inclosing but out of contact with said thread at al times; op site legs of each of the 'U-shaped teeth being of unlike magnetic polarity and said thread serv-. ing to bridge the gap between the opposite legs of the respective teeth to transmit motion between said shaft and wheel upon relative rotation therebetween.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 6th day'of November, A. D. 1916.

HUGH M. STOLLER. 

